


Three's a Crowd

by falsteloj



Category: Weirdsister College, Worst Witch - All Media Types
Genre: Cambridge, Cheating, Drinking Games, F/M, Halloween, Magic, University
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-17
Updated: 2012-09-17
Packaged: 2017-11-14 10:12:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/514128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/falsteloj/pseuds/falsteloj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mildred wrangles an agreement to let Ben and his friends attend a Weirdsister formal from Professor Thunderblast. She should have known it would end in disaster... </p>
            </blockquote>





	Three's a Crowd

“But I thought this was what you wanted,” Mildred frowned, the look on Ben’s face suggesting it was anything but. “You, me and our friends. Doing something normal.” She stressed the last word in the hope Ben would see how serious she was about it.

“Exactly!” Ben protested, gesturing at her with one tea towel laden hand for emphasis, “Something normal. Spending all night at your college with, well, with – “ He looked pointedly out into the café, over to the far corner where Hobbes was sat ignoring Ethel, and shook his head. “Nothing about that place is normal; I’m not taking my friends there!”

“You know we don’t do magic on Fridays,” Mildred soothed. “And, you said yourself, we can’t go to Churchill because it’s fully booked. I’ve already spoken to Professor Thunderblast about it.”

Mildred smiled up at him, sensing his resolve crumbling. “Oh,” Ben sighed, running a hand through his hair and offering her a small smile in return, “Alright.” She grinned and picked up two platefuls of scones and made for the serving hatch, just missing Ben’s murmured,

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

* * *

“What do you think?” Cas asked, grinning as she held up an air hostess outfit so short Mildred wondered if perhaps the bottom part of it was simply missing. “Will this get the Churchill boys’ hearts racing?”

“I wouldn’t have thought so, Crowfeather,” Ethel said coolly, rummaging through the racks of costumes with an expression of complete disinterest. “It will still be you wearing it, after all.”

Cas pulled a face behind her back and Mildred, sensing an imminent confrontation, steered her friend further into the shop. “Who does she think she is!?” Cas protested moments later, tackling the bargain bucket with uncharacteristic violence. “I’ll show her tonight!”

“I’m really worried about tonight, Cas,” Mildred broke in, less to distract her than an inability to keep her fears to herself any longer. “What if something goes wrong?” Mildred bit at her lip and kept her gaze on the pair of garish striped stockings she was holding, “Jeannie Stevens will be there, and,” she fought back a sudden urge to cry, “How am I supposed to compete with her?”

“Hey,” Cas said seriously, “Come on, don’t think like that.” She put a hand on Mildred’s arm, “Jeannie has nothing on you. And, nothing’s going to go wrong.”

“Yeah,” Mildred nodded gratefully. “You’re right.”

“Of course I’m right,” Cas smiled widely. “Now let’s pick you out a Halloween costume!”

* * *

“I was, like, no way, I am not cycling all the way there!” Jeannie said animatedly, flicking her long blonde hair over her shoulder, showing off her low cut ‘devil’ bustier to its best advantage, “But you can!”

Their entire end of the table burst into laughter and Mildred forced herself to smile, hoping it wasn’t coming across as a pained grimace. Hobbes, who was sat opposite her wearing a shirt with frilled cuffs – reminding her disconcertedly of the sepia toned dreams she had once had about him – raised one dark eyebrow and motioned the wine bottle towards her glass. She shook her head. The last thing she needed was to get drunk.

Unfortunately Jeannie had other ideas, “Come on, Millie.” She grinned and dropped a penny into her empty wine glass, leaning over the table to take the bottle from Hobbes and filling the glass to the brim. “Drink up!”

“Oh,” Mildred stuttered, blushing as everyone’s attention focussed on her, “I don’t think I should, I mean – “

“You have to,” Tim nodded solemnly, waving his own glass in an unsteady movement.

Azmat nodded even harder in agreement, leaning forward and dipping the elbow of his ‘ghostbuster’ suit into the gravy without noticing, “It’s the rules.”

Ben’s friends, a group of four who even now Mildred wasn’t entirely certain she could remember all the names of, began banging their palms against the table in encouragement. “Down it, down it, down it, down it!” They chanted.

Mildred swallowed nervously, seeing the pursing of Professor Thunderblast’s lips at the high table from across the room. If things got out of hand then, as it was her idea, she would have to take the blame. She winced at the thought of Beetle on the warpath. But, on the other hand, she didn’t want to get drunk. The chanting got louder and forced her decision. Wrinkling her nose she took the glass and swallowed its contents in great gulps. 

Cheers went up around her, and Thunderblast’s disapproving glare softened slightly. Mildred sighed; it was going to be a long night.

* * *

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Jeannie crowed, dabbing at the growing stain ineffectually. Mildred bit her lip; red wine was so difficult to get out, even with the help of magic. She glanced nervously across at Ethel who had let her borrow the dress in the first place, on condition of her doing Ethel’s chores for a fortnight. She couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief when she saw that Ethel was too engrossed to notice her. “It’s such a lovely dress too,” Jeannie went on, “Makes your normal wardrobe look like the Halloween one, doesn’t it?”

Mildred forced herself to keep smiling. She was drunk, Jeannie was drunk; she was sure the comment wasn’t meant in the way she was interpreting it. 

  
“Are you doing anything for Halloween?” Jeannie dropped the napkin, and picked her glass back up. “Ben says you’re having a college ent, or something?”

“Something like that,” Mildred murmured. Halloween was one of the highlights of the college calendar, and she was glad it had fallen on the weekend. If formal and Halloween had coincided, Ben would never have agreed to it.

There was silence for a long moment, before Jeannie broke it again. “What subject did you say you do again?” Jeannie asked, putting a hand on Mildred’s arm. 

“I, uh –“ Mildred stuttered and looked about for help. Coffee had been served and everyone seemed to have switched places, Ethel and Cas were busy fluttering their eyelashes at a pair of the Churchill boys. Tim and Azmat were slumped drunkenly against each other, giggling stupidly at something, although Mildred had no idea what. 

At that moment Hobbes, returning from somewhere – the whole night was starting to seem a little hazy – slid into the seat on her other side. “She’s studying history of art,” he answered smoothly.

“I knew you had to be an Arts student,” Jeannie said, gaze sweeping Hobbes up and down as she spoke. “How else could you spend all that time at the café? You’d have too much work.”

Mildred felt her temper flare but beat it back into submission. “Ben isn’t an Arts student.”

“No, but that’s different,” Jeannie said breezily. “Ben’s on course for a first.” Her tone implied that Mildred definitely wasn’t. 

She was saved from answering by the sound of the dinner gong reverberating throughout the hall and Beetle’s voice, “It’s ten twenty five; everyone is to return to their rooms.”

* * *

“She’s not serious?” a girl Mildred finally placed as Christine – another engineer – asked incredulously as they gathered in the main foyer. 

“’Fraid so,” Hobbes said, pushing his hands into his pockets. 

Cas beckoned Mildred from behind Hobbe’s back with a whisper she clearly thought was subtle. Mildred shrugged her apology to Christine and Jeannie and went over to her. “Millie,” Cas giggled, and leaned heavily against the boy next to her, “Me and – “ she frowned, struggling to remember the boy's name, “Matt and I are going to go to the club.” Matt nodded an acknowledgement, clumsily attempting to get his mobile phone to co-operate. “Ethel’s coming with us,” she gestured widely over at where Ethel was pouting into her pocket mirror. 

You would never believe, Mildred thought with a hint of amusement, that only that afternoon Cas had been threatening to murder her.

“Are you coming?”

Mildred shook her head, “Ben’s staying tonight, remember?"

“Wait a minute,” Ben interrupted, directing his speech at the two boys he’d brought with him. “If you’re going out, who’s going to walk Chris and Jeannie back?”

“We’ll be alright,” Jeannie said, in a tone suggested that they really might not be. “It’s not that far.”

“We’ll do it!” Azmat beamed, “Won’t we, Tim?”

Tim shook his head, skin pale and clammy. “I think I’m going to be sick.” Azmat’s face fell instantly. He shot Ben an apologetic glance as he put an arm around Tim’s shoulders and started leading him back towards their dormitory.

Hobbes heaved a sigh, “I suppose I can do it.” Christine’s eyes lit up. 

“No way!” Ben said forcefully, “I know your game.” Hobbes raised an eyebrow in question but Ben stood his ground, fortified by the copious amount of drink they had all consumed. “You’ll use your, your – “ he waved a hand in frustration, “You know what I mean!” Christine sniggered.

“Suit yourself,” Hobbes shrugged and followed the path Tim and Azmat had taken without so much as a backwards glance. 

Ben turned to Mildred, “Do you mind if I go? I can’t let them walk on their own.”

Mildred glanced from her boyfriend to Jeannie – who smirked widely at her – and back again. She knew Ben was only doing the right thing. She knew Ben would never do anything to hurt her. And, yet, it was with a sense of misgiving that she nodded and watched all of them stumble out into the night air through the door, under the glare of a disgruntled Beetle.

* * *

* * *

“I don’t where he can be,” Ben’s Mum said, shaking her head. Mildred watched the café door intently, stomach twisting as she waited. She felt awful, had almost missed her shift at Misery’s, her head splitting with the after effects of the uncharacteristic alcohol consumption. 

She should have gone with Ben last night, she thought miserably, wincing at the noise of the coffee machine. Something terrible could have happened to him. 

Just as she was thinking it the door swung open to reveal Ben. His skin was grey and pallid, his hair a mess and his clothes crumpled, but he didn’t seem to have sustained any physical injury.

“I’m so sorry,” he started, raking a hand through his already dishevelled hair, “I was so drunk I couldn’t walk back and I had to stay at college, and, I’m just sorry.” It was all said in one long rush, and Mildred noted with worry the way his fingers seemed to be trembling.

“Well,” Elaine sighed, “Boys will be boys, I suppose.” Her gaze was disapproving all the same, the long strings of beads around her neck clacking as she made her way over to him. Her expression softened at the obvious – albeit self-inflicted – pain he was in. “Go on,” she smiled, “Go upstairs and have a lie down. Mildred and I can manage.”

Ben met her eyes, looking upset. “I’m sorry, Millie.” She nodded and with that he was gone.

* * *

“Where were you two last night then?” Azmat grinned, holding the café door open for a harassed looking Cas and Ethel. “I hear the Beetle is baying for your blood.”

“I really don’t see how it’s any of your business, Madaridi,” Ethel said haughtily, but there was a flush of colour in her pale cheeks all the same. “You should be more concerned with your own love life. Or,” she looked pointedly at Tim who had curled into one of the café sofas, groaning about how ill he felt, “lack thereof.”

Azmat’s grin fell. “He’ll be alright later.”

“I won’t,” Tim whined pitifully. “I think I’m dying.”

Cas slapped his knee as she sat down, getting him to move his legs off the sofa. “Don’t be so melodramatic. We’ve got bigger problems.” She gave Ethel a knowing look. Azmat watched the exchange with a frown,

“Why? What’s happened?”

Cas glanced across at Mildred who was serving behind the counter with a worried expression before turning back to face him. “Last night me and Ethel,” Ethel scowled but said nothing, “went back with Ben’s friends.” She paused, looking uncomfortable, “We saw Ben, going to Jeannie’s room.”

“It doesn’t mean anything,” Azmat said hesitantly, not wanting to believe it for Mildred’s sake. “He was walking her home.”

Ethel rolled her eyes, “Do you try to extract the tonsils of everyone you walk home?”

Azmat shrugged awkwardly, admitting defeat and Ethel sat back in the sofa, concentrating on her magazine. Cas and Azmat shared a mournful look as Mildred started towards them, order notepad in hand.

None of them noticed a single figure in the corner, clad all in black, quietly stand and slip through the door and out onto the bustling street.

* * *

It was almost the end of Mildred’s shift when the bell sounded over the door, Jeannie Stevens making an entrance surrounded by her usual crowd. Mildred looked up and resisted the urge to scowl at the other girl. She hadn’t done anything to her.

“Millie,” Jeannie greeted with a wide smile when she reached the front of the queue. “Not feeling too worse for wear after last night, are you? Hope you weren’t up waiting for Ben all night.”

Jeannie’s friend, Christine, seemed to choke at that, coughing into one gloved hand. Jeannie’s smile never slipped. “I just couldn’t let him walk back, not in the state he was in.”

“Oh,” Mildred said, ringing up the sandwich and hot chocolate Jeannie had chosen, Cas had said she had seen him at college; she hadn’t said he was sharing a room with Jeannie. The idea of it made her feel restless. 

“Yeah,” Jeannie said breezily, “Is he around?”

“He’s up…” She trailed off as Ben emerged from the stairwell, looking a lot healthier, hair still damp from the shower. At the sight of her he paled worse than earlier, one hand reaching for the wall for support. 

“Ben,” she started, slipping out from behind the counter and making her way over to him in concern, “are you alright?”

He clenched his eyes shut, expression pained. “Millie, I have to tell you something.”

* * *

* * *

Mildred left the café in a rush, not bothering to remove her apron or tell Ben’s mum she was going. Tears stung at her eyes as she made her way back to college, betrayal weighing heavily upon her chest. 

‘I didn’t mean to,’ Ben had said, his own eyes damp, ‘it was an accident.’

Spilling a drink, that was an accident. Spelling the arch of your eyebrow off, that was an accident. Falling into Jeannie Stevens’ arms when she had been sat up waiting and worrying for him was no accident. She swiped one hand across her cheek viciously as she made her way through the enchanted doorway.

She wasn’t looking where she was going and jumped, startled, as she walked into something solid. 

“I’m so sorry, it’s my fault, I –“

“Millie,” Hobbes started calmly, putting his hands on her upper arms to stop her increasingly agitated movements. “What’s wrong?”

Mildred met his gaze then, softened with obvious concern and, in spite of her best efforts to prevent it, fell against his shoulder and sobbed. 

* * *

“Here,” Hobbes said, handing her a mug, “Drink this.” He sat down next to her on the narrow bed and Mildred dabbed at her eyes, taking in the weird and wonderful objects he seemed to have covering every surface. It was nothing like Ben’s room, neat, tidy and regimented. 

“I’m sorry to be so much trouble,” she told him quietly, sure he must think her an idiot. Hobbes looked away,

“I don’t like to see you upset.”

She stared down into the tea he had made her and bit at her lip. She still couldn’t believe how quickly things had fallen apart. 

“You’re better off out of it,” Hobbes went on, still not meeting her eye. “Ben,” there was more than a hint of bitterness to the word, “is never going to understand. You can’t just turn your back on magic.”

Mildred set the cup down onto the nearest hard surface with a clatter. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” After everything Hobbes was still dragging up that argument. She picked up her folded apron from the bed and made for the door.

Hobbes' ‘You know where I’ll be,’ followed her down the hall.

* * *

When she got back to her own room Cas and Ethel were waiting for her. Mildred brushed off their concerned glances and well-meant questioning, telling them she wanted to go to bed. And she did, although sleep was a long time coming.

Her dreams were disjointed, at first she was at the café with Ben, both of them stressed as they tried to fill endless orders, everything going wrong. And then she was back in the ballroom she had danced in with Hobbes. But when she looked down at her dress, she realised she was still wearing her apron. 

Hobbes took her hand all the same, and smiled, a real smile not the smirk he habitually wore, and they danced. Until the alarm blared for lectures and Ethel threw a pillow at her head to force her out of bed. 

She mulled the problem over all day in her head, twisting Ben’s second note of apology back and forth in her hands all through her supervision. In the end she came to a decision, pulling on her jacket and meeting Ben on the backs. She couldn’t help but think of the time she had walked there with Hobbes. 

“I’m really sorry, Millie. Really, I am.” Ben’s eyes were red and Mildred felt something in her chest constrict. “Do you think you can ever forgive me?”

She looked out to the river and spoke, “I think so. I mean, yes. I can forgive you.” Ben’s face broke into a smile and she rushed on before he could speak, “But I think we should look at this like, like a sign.” She risked a glance at him then and took a fortifying breath,

“I think we should just be friends, Ben.”

Ben bit at his lip, eyes downcast and Mildred swallowed back her own tears. “I’m sorry, but my mind’s made up.”

He nodded, and pressed the fingers of one hand to closed eyelids. “We’ll still be friends though, right? Please don’t say I’ve messed everything up.”

Mildred touched a hand to his arm, so that he met her gaze, and nodded solemnly. They walked back to college in silence and, when he turned to leave, she watched until he rounded the corner before stepping inside. 

* * *

Hobbes looked up from the steaming cauldron on his desk with a frown. Madaridi and Wraithewright knew not to disturb him when he was working, and Ethel was still giving him the cold shoulder. Which left…

He took the cauldron of the heat and wiped his hands on a towel, moving quickly to open the door. Sure enough Millie Hubble was stood on the other side, fidgeting nervously. 

“I wanted to say sorry, about yesterday. It was really rude of me to walk out like that.”

Hobbes hid a grin, and took a step backwards, gesturing for her to come in. This time, everything would work out the way it was meant to.

**Author's Note:**

> As ever, feel free to chat / hit me with prompts over on Tumblr [@serenwib](http://serenwib.tumblr.com/) or Twitter [@falsteloj](https://twitter.com/falsteloj). :)


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